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| Rugby union in New Zealand | |
|---|---|
.jpg) New Zealand playing Argentina at the 2015 World Cup | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Governing body | NZR |
| National team(s) | New Zealand |
| Nickname(s) | All Blacks |
| First played | 1870, Nelson |
| Registered players | 146,893 (total)[1] 28,648 (adults) |
| Clubs | ~500[2] |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
Audience records | |
| Single match | 109,874 Australia v New Zealand, (Telstra Stadium) 2000 Tri Nations Series, 15 July 2000 |
Rugby union (usually referred to as simply “rugby”) has been played in New Zealand since 1870 and is the most popular sport in the country as well as being the de facto national sport.[3] In a 2023 survey, 75% of respondents said they followed the sport.[4]
The men's national team, the All Blacks, is currently ranked No. 3 in the World Rugby Rankings.[5] The country co-hosted and won the first ever Rugby World Cup in 1987, and hosted and won the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The men have won three World Cups (1987, 2011, 2015), the second most of any country after South Africa.
New Zealand are the current World Champions for Women's rugby union and were rugby sevens finalists for men and women.
The top domestic club competitions are the professional National Provincial Championship and amateur Heartland Championship, and above them the transnational Super Rugby, in which New Zealand has 5 out of 11 franchises.